LELEAN Memorial School broke northern hearts but created their own piece of glory after edging Navatu Secondary School 15-14 in a pulsating Vodafone Super Deans under-19 final at the HFC Bank National Stadium in Suva yesterday.
For Navatu, it was a cruel end to a remarkable campaign.
The northern champions had arrived at the final with history within reach as the first school from the North to contest a Vodafone Super Deans final, but a missed penalty with the final act of the match denied them a fairytale finish.
Navatu came out firing, dominating territory and pinning Lelean deep inside their own red zone for much of the opening half.
Their exceptional handling, willingness to shift the ball and expansive running game troubled the Davuilevu side as they crossed for two converted tries to establish a 14-0 lead.
But Lelean refused to panic.
They stayed composed, tightened their discipline and gradually worked their way back into the contest, scoring a try and adding a penalty to cut the deficit to 14-8 at halftime.
The second half belonged to Lelean.
The Davuilevu side lifted the tempo and eventually crossed for a converted try to take a 15-14 lead for the first time in the match.
From there, their well-organised defence and improved discipline proved decisive as they kept the desperate Navatu attack at bay and forced their northern opponents into costly errors and penalties.
Navatu were handed one final opportunity when awarded a penalty in the dying moments, but the kick failed to find its target, sparking wild celebrations among the Lelean players and supporters.
Lelean head coach Peni Vakatawakoula said his side had prepared for the physical and fast-paced challenge Navatu brought.
“The boys stuck to the game plan and it paid off in the end,” he said.
“We had anticipated a tough match against Navatu and they did just that, but the message to the boys was to trust our processes. They did just that and the result speaks for itself.”
For Navatu captain and number eight Vilimone Kanawabu, the defeat was difficult to accept.
“That was a really close game that we should have won. The pressure and our mistakes cost us the match,” he said.
“I still can’t believe we let that match slip.”
Yet, despite the heartbreak, Kanawabu urged northern schools not to lose belief.
“For so long we have doubted ourselves in the North, but my message to all the players and teams back in the North is that anything is possible. The secret is faith and hard work.”
For Vakatawakoula, the victory belonged to more than just the 23 players who took the field.
He dedicated the title to the school, its old scholars, loyal supporters and the players’ families, whom he described as the pillars behind the team’s journey throughout the season.
